WTA: Stuttgart: Sloane Stephens and Madison Keys experience nasty surprises

US Open winner Sloane Stephens experienced a nasty surprise in her opening match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart. The ninth in the world rankings lost to Coco Vandeweghe in just 57 minutes (1:6, 0:6) and New York finalist Madison Keys (USA) was also eliminated, losing 6:7 (7:9), 7:5, 4:6 against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova from Russia.

Stephens did not make a single serve in his duel with Vandeweghe and was defeated by number 16 in the WTA ranking for the fourth time in a fifth comparison. Both had been part of the US team that won the Fed Cup semi-final against hosts in France 3-2 this weekend.

Stephens had won both singles for the record champion, Vandeweghe lost her match on day one. Madison Keys scored the decisive third point in Aix-en-Provence. But Stuttgart was not a good place for the world ranking 13th either. Keys, who is looked after by Dieter Kindlmann from Allgäu, among others, fought Pavlyuchenkova (WTA No. 27) for 2:45 hours, but then left the Centre Court of the Porsche Arena as the loser.

US open semi-finalist Vandeweghe will now face defending champion Laura Siegemund (Metzingen) in the round of 16 on Thursday (live at DAZN), Pavlyuchenkova will face second seeded Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza (Spain), who had a walk-through in the first round.

The winner of the Porsche Grand Prix will receive prize money of 140,193 dollars and a sports car from the main sponsor at the 41st edition of the event, which the players have voted the best tournament on the tour nine times in the past ten years.